Verizon wants to shut down the copper where it has FiOS, so it's offering a sweet deal at the low end. Karl Bode at DSLR reports Verizon is offering "select users 3 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream FiOS service for just $20 a month." He quotes Verizon's Bob Elek "We're using the 3 Mbps FiOS Internet offer principally to migrate our 1 mbps High Speed Internet (DSL) customers and as a retention offer." However, this may only be for the first year and jumps after that. It requires a Verizon landline, otherwise a disappearing species.

Fiber costs less to maintain than copper and Verizon wants to kill the old network ASAP. Australia's NBN is going further, cutting deals with Telstra and Optus that gives customers no choice but to transfer. That was the original plan at British Telecom but ran into operational problems.

Getting the most reluctant to move to the new system will be a challenge. That's one of the reasons AT&T and Verizon are pushing the FCC to "turn off the PSTN;" it will give the stragglers no choice, even if the prices are higher.

Here's the page from Verizon, which may disappear if it attracts the wrong customers.